Violin-guitar



Aug. 27, 1929. F. A, PORTER ET Al.

VIOLIN GUITAR 192.7 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed sept. 2e

Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VIOLIN-GUITAR.

Application filed September 26, 1927. Serial No. 222,114.

This invention relates to musical instruments and has for its object the combination of open strings to be played like a violin with a violin bow, together with other strings arranged in groups to produce the chords suitable to be played as accompaniment to the respective violin or melody strings.

Another object is to provide violin or melody strings arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the neck and at a suitable distance apartl to facilitate the playing of one without likelihood of bowing more than one string at the same time to create a discord.

Another object is to provide violin or melody strings which extend from a tuning key on one side of the head, about a suitable shoulder, and back to a tuning key on the opposite side of the head, the one string providing two different tones when desired, by adjustment of the timing thereof.

Another object is to provide suitable clips at the shoulders about which the violin or melody strings pass, which will form a. sharp edge to hold the string, and which shall be bent backward at such an angle that the bow can slide upon it from one string to the next higher or lower wit-hout raising it from the string.

With the above and other objects in View, which will more particularly appear in the accompanying specification, we have shown and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, one embodiment of our invention, in which said drawings, similar numerals refer to the same parts in the various drawings, and in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one style of our invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, taken from above in Figure 1, and showing the neck, strings and tuning keys on one side thereof.

Figure 3 is a detail view of one of the clips 15 employed at the various shoulders of the neck.

Figure 4 is a detail view of the clip 15 having a variation, in that a portion of the bent over part 16 is bent forward.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the attachment without the strings. r

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of the invention showing the relationship of the clips and depressions without the strings.

Figure 7 is aview similar to Figure 6 showirlig how the strings are associated with the c 1ps.

In the illustration shown in the accompanying drawing, 1 represents any usual form of sounding box over which strings may be stretched, as for guitar, Zither or the like, and this may be of the shape shown, or may be varied as best suits the purpose of the manufacturer. 2 represents chord strings attached to fixed pins at 3, and stretched over the bridges Land 5 and attached to the tuning keys 6, 6 by means of which tuning keys the various strings 2 are tuned to the pitch required, as usual. These strings 2 are usually arranged in groups of four each, including one bass string tuned to the bass note of some required chord, and the three other strings tuned each to one of the harmony notes in harmony with the bass note.

At some suitable portion of the sounding boX 1, as at- 7 we have provided a suitably raised portion, forming a head 17, neck 10 and body portion 7 for use in holding the violin or melody strings 9, 9. At suitable locations along the upper edge of the portion 7, we have provided depressions 12, with the vertical shoulders 13, gradually sloping forward, as shown. At the base of the shoulders 13 saw cuts at 14, 14 are provided to receive and retain the clips 15, 15 shown inserted therein. These clips 15, 15 are generally made of some Suitable thin metal, but may also be made of any other material adapted for the purpose. We have preferably made these clips 15, 15 the same height as the shoulder 13, or if required, they may project slightly thereabove, and then gradually sloping backward at 16, until the rear edge is below the line of the strings attached on the shoulder next higher up.

The strings 9, 9 are mounted by attaching one end to one of the tuning keys 11 on one side of the head 17, and then passed backward and around one of the shoulders 13, being passed at the rear of the clip 15 mounted at the respective shoulder, and underneath the rearwardly extending portion 16 thereof, as shown, and then the string is passed forwardly over a bridge similar to 8, and the end attached to one of the tuning keys 11 on the side opposite to that to which the first end had been attached,

By this construction, it will be readily seen .that .each ,String may Serve the purpose Ofi two strings, being tuned to one pitch on one side of the head, and to another pitch on the reverse side, the cont-actwith the clip 15 providing sufficient friction to prevent the string from slipping and lowering the pitch of the side tuned to the higher pitch. It will also be seen that this style of construction does away with necessity of the fixed pins usually employed in this style of construction to attach the rear ends of the various strings. By employing the clips 15, of the shape as shown, the violin bow ymay be passed-or slid from one string to the next higher or lower, or over several strings, Without raising it from the strings, which greatly facilitates bowing the instrument, and makes it much easier for begi'nners,andnovices to play the instrument, than when dificult and complicatcd bowing is required, as on the usual violin, and similar instruments. AIt will also be seen that by mounting the strings upon opposite sides of the portion 7, as shown, and only two strings at the same portion, either string may be played, even by a novice, without the usual danger of rbowing both strings at once, creating the discord which frequently occur with beginners on the violin.

In the construction shown, we 'have preferably tuned the melody strings 9, 9, to the succeeding notes of the scale, commencing with c at the rear left hand, each right hand string being one note higher, and each forward left hand string jbeing one note above the next lower right hand string. By this construction, the music may be played upon open strings, which require no fingering to vary the pitch as is required on violin style instruments, thus reducing vthe difficulty of playing and simplifying the general performance of the beginner and novice so that he may play `creditably well without the infinite practice and pains requiredv on t-he usual violin and similar instruments.

Byplacing our strings 9, 9 on opposite sides of the portion V7, the strain or tension of the string on one side offsets the strain or tension on the other side, `and even a veryf light construction for the portion 7 will sust-ain the tension of the'strings, without .fear of bending from such tension, as is usual with the ordinary construction employed in similar instruments, with all of the strings-positioned on one side of thelbody or neck.

While we have described our instrument as being adapted to be played with an ordinary violin bow (not shown) as we believe the music produced by such means more attractive than that produced by any other means, yet it will be apparent that themelody strings 9,9 may be picked in the manner similar to mandolin strings, or vmay .be caused to give out their tones by any othermeans preferred bythe player.

ln the usual method of lplayingoursaid instrument,-the violin bow is heldin the right hand, and the melody strings 9, 9 are played in the order to produce the melody. At the same time, the chord strings 2, 2 are played with the left hand, the proper chord strings being played to produce the harmonious chord for each melody string as played by the violin bow.

If it is desired, suitable letters or figures may be placed opposite the various melody strings, and the various chord groups, to facilitate selection of the proper chord for each melody note, but as this forms no part of our present invention, we have not shown it herein.

To facilitate the retention of the melody strings 9, 9 in their proper elevation, we have preferably made a slight indentation or notch 18 in the clips 15, 15, just beneath the bend and at the point where the strings 9, 9 pass ther-earound, and by placing the strings 9, 9 in these indentations, they are retained against movement in use or by accident. In Figure 4 we have shown a .variation of the clip 15, in which the middle portion of the part 16 is bent forward, as shown 19. By prick punching the clips at 20, as shown in Figure 3, a raised portion is formed on the rear side which facilitates holding the strings in normal position against movement or slipping up or down in use.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following 1.` In a musical instrument, the `combination of a member forming a sounding box, a raised member adjacent thereto forming a support for melody strings, said support having spaced depressions in its upper surface, tuning keys on both sides of the head of said support, a melody string extending from one tuning key on one side ofthe head along the side of the support back to the .depressionacross to the opposite side of the support and forward to a corresponding tuning key on opposite side of the head of .said support. member, 'substantiallyas shown and described.

2. A violin attachment for a Zither or other like musical instrument, comprising a body portion having spaced depressions 'on the upper surface thereof, one portion of said depression being vertical, a saw out at the base of said vertical portion, a clip member in `said saw cut extending upward to the top of the vertical portion of said-depression, and 'then bent backward at anacute angle, tuning keys upon both sides of the head of said body portion, melody strings arranged in playing position opposite each depression consisting of a single string attached to atuning key on one side of thehead, passing backward around a vertical portion and over the clipfadjacent said vertical member, and underneath the backward extending 'portion of said clip, and forward upon lOO the opposite side of said body portion, with the end attached to one of the corresponding tuning keys on the `opposite side of said head, substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

3. In a musical instrument the combination of a member forming a sounding board, accompaniment strings arranged adjacent said sounding board member, a support for melody strings arranged at one side of said sounding board member along a substantial portion of its length but projecting therebeyond and rising therefrom, said support having spaced depressions on its upper surface, and melody strings arranged in doubled relation adjacent each said depression upon both sides of said support.

4. A musical instrument comprising a member forming a sounding board having accompaniment strings arranged thereabove, a raised portion attached thereto having depressions in its upper surface, melody strings arranged on both sides of said raised portion in doubled relation, whereby sets of two playing strings are formed, said sets being arranged in playing position adjacent each said depression therein and means for tuning said sets.

5. A musical instrument comprising a sounding board, strings arranged in playing relation thereto, and a raised support eX- tending beyond said sounding board and rising therefrom, said support having a plurality of depressions in its surface, strings an elongated member, a plurality of depressions in the upper surface thereof, strings arranged in playable relation to said depressions, and means to retain said strings in said playable relation.

7. In a musical instrument, an elongated member, a series of depressions in the upper surface thereof, vertical walls between said depressions, clips abutting said vertical walls, and strings passing from one side of said member around said clips to the other side of said member.

8. In a musical instrument, an elongated member, a series of depressions in the upper surface thereof, vertical walls between said depressions having slots extending from the base thereof into said member, string-holding clips in said slots, and strings passing from one side of said member around said clips to the other side of said member, said strings being tunably anchored at both ends, whereby each string provides two playing portions.

In testimony whereof, we have duly signed the foregoing specification.

FOREST A. PORTER. FELIX SCHMIDT. 

